Letter: Why aren't politicians supporting common sense gun laws?

Fifty-four years ago this week, a Russian immigrant who owned a dress making company near Dealey Plaza in Dallas allowed his employees to take a long lunch break because this was their chance to see the President of the United States as he rode past in his motorcade from the airport. He then went home to get his own movie camera to record the event as an amateur photographer. When he returned, he found a 4-foot wall he could stand on that offered a perfect view of Elm Street where he could film the day's events. Suddenly, something was wrong. The President seemed to be holding his wrists around his throat, and then he slumped on his side towards his wife, the First Lady. Then there was another loud burst of noise, and Abraham Zapruder saw the President's head literally explode onto his wife's lap.

Zapruder was horrified that something like this could happen in the United States. This happened in Czarist Russia, of course; people disappeared and even were shot in the street routinely. This was why his family had come to this country. The events of Nov. 22, 1963, flew in the face of everything he believed about his adopted country.

In 2017, perhaps these events don't seem shocking any more. Since 1963, more people in the United States have died because of domestic gun violence than have died in all the wars the United States have ever fought combined. Imagine the size of the wall we would have to build to honor those victims. More children die because of gun violence in most years than police die in the line of duty. And still we do nothing.

By now, we have to admit that this country must think it's OK for children to be gunned down at school. We think it is OK that gunmen can shoot up a night club, or an office building, or a music concert, or even a Sunday morning church service. We are grateful for alert citizens who take prompt action to minimize the casualties instead of demanding common-sense laws that will reduce this death toll. We allow our politicians to tell us that this is the cost of freedom instead of demanding America be made safer and freer. So instead of giving another solemn speech and lowering the flags to half-mast, let's get on with the business of saving lives.